Rotary fluid coupling



Feb. 26, E952 v 0, HARTZ 2,587,154

ROTARY FLUID coUPLING INVENToR VERNON 0. HARTZ ATTORNEYS V. O. HARTZ ROTARY FLUID COUPLING Feb. 26, 1952 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Oct. 26, 1946 lNvENToR -VERNON 0. HARTZ ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 26, 1952 UNI/:TED STATES PATENT G-FFICE- v 21,587,154* RoirARYiFLUIn/COUPLING? Vernoxol Ifatz; Glendale; Cali'ff Application Dcher-'26, 1946-,.Seri'al-No. `'706,040-

been..'.inuse for. many.- years.-v While many; off

suchlmechanismsprovide excellent drivinglchar acteristics at high speeds, theyadonot-.permit free .relative rotation between af.. driving and a driven.A rotating` .members at .low-` speeds. of rotati'o'nff a" driving f member. This latter featurehas influenced. .some engineers .irr.preferringV an ordinary `friction.clutch. .drivingarrangement toA the.soca1ledlluid drive vmechanismsin order to insure -.free :rotation of the ':driving-.;member.. or` engine at low-.speeds when.thedrivenv-memberris at mest.

Anobject of..`the-. present -invention-.isto .makef an improved fand simpliiied iiuiddrive vmechanism.

Another object is to make .affluiddrive mechanism .having i a .plurality -of- .pivotallymounted driving vanes arranged to be Y.moved-to:driving position by the centrifugal. force-.produced `by rotationof .adrivingtelement in whichthe drivingyanes Aare mounted! Another object isYto-make.afluid-drive Imeehanism. having a plurality .ofIdriving-.vanes :pivotally mounted .lon-.;.a..,rotor,. Awith .aiaweight assembly secured .toeachv of the..vanes,.thecenter of ."gravity .of each4 vanaassembly being 'offset from an axis of .pivotal mounting ..of..'the vane,V so that Athe vvane .will be vcarried .to an operative driving positionby centrifl'i'gal force onthe'attainment. of a predetermined Aspeed of 'rotation bythe rotor 'on which the vanes are-mounted.

Another object 'isfto' makeianimproved AHuid drive `mechanism having', a .drivingl rotor with a".plu"ralit'y` o f V"pivotally" mounted .guiding van'es therein, the vanes being unbalanced bothasto weight and Vane surface relatively to their axes of pivotalA mounting.q centrifugallyf actuated vvpositioning lmeans :being: associated with. tli''va'nes to move'themtoa position ofinaximumdriving effectivenessfon a predetermined increase" 'in ro-V tative speed of their rotors."

Another object is' to'provide'a fl'id drive mech`4 anism with` pivotally 'mounted yanes 'which'are removable" endwise from1th'ir' mounted position on rotationiof .'th .vanes *beyond "an operative position thereof;

drive' mechanism-having-a power drivenfrotor with aplurality of pivotally mounted' driving withone feature ofthe invention, a rotor having av plurality. of .pivotally mounted vanesoryblades whichhareremovable from the rotor the .vanestdaposition substantially. 180 from their..normal-operative position; the varies hav` ing counterweights assembled'co-axially-threl Withfto provide an assembly. with its,v center of gravity locatedradially outwardly beyond the pivotal. axes of-.the varies,` softhaton `rotation of the rotor. the vaneswill bemove'd by the centrifugal-force ofthe weights to an operative driving. position. Thevanes are constructed with the majory portionf ofl their operative'sur# faces located radially. y outwardly` beyond their axes1ofJpivotalmounting, .so that without the inuence of the weights the vanes normally vs lould.` assume lafeather'ing. position relatively to-iiuidf'in .which the vanes are immersed: The rotor is mounted in a, rotatable housing.- arranged to driveu a drivenshaft, the housingf being-* provided kw-ithy internally projecting vanes adapted to cooperatefwiththe-vanes of the rotor to providev driving-'connection between the rotor and theh'ousing.=. u l y Y These -and other features' and advantages of the invention will A-be more fully'set forth in the following descriptionAandV the accompanying;` drawings, of which there are two sheets. In the drawings: u Y w c Fig. 1 lis a'longitudinal sectional view-through a id ldrive mechanism embodyingthepresi entinvention; 4

2 isLan elevation view on ythe line 2-2 of Fig. 1,',a portion of a housingbeing broken away to disclose the inner construction of the device; aportion of-one of la pair of central rotor-disks, and an-annular housing wall member being furtherl'brokenaway to disclose a-counterweight secured to the pivotally mounted-hub offa drivingvane;-

Fig. 3 is a View in perspective of' acounterweight employed in a modification shown in FigiV .4 is ya -view,y also in perspective of -a counterwveightr such-as-is--illustratedein the embodiment of .Fgs.1 and-2; A

Figi-.5 is aviewinperspective ofa driving vane. withthe counterweight yremoved th eref-rom ;V

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view in side elevation similar to Fig. 2, but showing only a small portion of the outer housing and central Walls broken away to show a counterweight of the type illustrated in Fig. 3 connected to a control mechanism ,for securing the counterweight in radially adjusted operating position; and

Fig. '1 is a fragmentary transverse sectional View through a marginal portion of a housing, the vane mounting arrangement being modified from that illustrated in Fig. l.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and con--` sidering iirst what may be referred to as the normal embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5; a drive shaft I0 is arranged to have operative driven connection with a suitable source of power, for example a gasoline engine, a portion of which may be considered as indicated by the dot-dash lines II in Fig. 1. The drive shaft is rotatably mounted in a ball bearing I2, the inner race i3 of which is secured in position against a collar I4 formed integrally with the drive shaft IIJ. The outer race of the bearing I2 is mounted in a recess I5 in the hub portion of a housing I1, by means of a flanged cap I8.

The cap I5 is secured in position by a plurality of screws I9. An oil seal, such as a gland nut I6, is threaded onto a flange 26 surrounding the drive shaft I0 to seal the joint between the shaft I0 and the cap I8 against the escape of oil from the housing I1. The housing I1 is of the split type and the two halves thereof are secured together by means of bolts 2 I.

A pair of annular planiform walls 22 and 23 are disposed in parallelrelation with each other on opposite sides of the central plane of the di,- vided housing and a plurality of radially disposed vanes 24 are provided at equally spaced intervals around the interior of each side of the housing between the central annular walls 22 and 23 and the outer walls of the housing. These vanes 24 may be shaped substantially as illustrated in Figs. 1 and '1, each vane having a corner portion cut away to permit rotor blades, to be described in detail later herein, to pass closely adjacent thereto.

A pair of rotor discs 21 and 28 are mounted on the drive shaft I9, the disc 21 being in abutment with an annular ange 29 formed integrally with the shaft I0. The rotor discs 21 and 28 are spaced apart by a spacing collar 30. The rotor v discs 21 and 28, and the spacing collar' 30, are

provided with keyways to receive a key 3I mounted in a keyway in the shaft I0 to provide positive driving connection between the drive shaft and the rotor discs. The rotor discs are secured in position by a nut 32 which is vthreaded onto the shaft Ill to engage the rotor disc 28 and draw the parts into closely assembled relation. The end portion of the shaft I0 beyond the rotor discs may be reduced as at 33, and pressed into the inner race of a ball bearing 34. The outer race of the ball bearing 34 is mounted in an annular` recess 35 in the housing I1, and maybe secured in position therein by ilanging the marginal edge portion surrounding the recessv 35 to overlie the outer race of the ball bearing as indicated at 31 in Fig. 1.

A driven shaft 38 is secured to the housing I1 to extend co-axially with the drive shaft IU. The driven shaft may be secured to a mechanism which it is desired to drive by means of the present fluid drive mechanism, such as is indicated generally by the dot-dash lines 39. A plurality of vanes 4t (see Fig. 5) are pivotally mounted in pairs of aligned co-axial holes 4I in the rotor plates 21 and 28. Each of the vanes is provided with a cylindrical central hub portion 42 adapted to pivot in the pair of registering holes 4l in the rotorl discs in which it is mounted. The vanes are of a size to pass closely adjacent to the inner notched out edges of the vanes 24 in the housing I1 when the rotor vanes are positioned radially, as shown in Fig. 2. Each rotor vane hub portion 42 is provided with a key 43 which is provided to enter a keyway 44 cut in one half of a divided counterweight 45 which is assembled with each of the vanes, as illustrated in Figs. l and 2.

These counterweights are divided along a central line 41 and are secured together by means of screws 48 and 49, as indicated in 4dotted lines in Fig. 2.

To facilitate mounting the drive vanes 40 in the rotor discs 21 and 28, the holes 4I in the rotor discs preferably are formed with elongated notches 50 extending radially inwardly therefrom. These notches, together with the holes 4I, are of a size to permit the vanes to pass endwise therethrough when the vanes are rotated from their radially outward position illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.V It is apparentfof course, that with the counterweights of the relative size illustrated, and the rotor vanes positioned as closely together as is shown in Fig. 2, it will be necessary to remove the counterweights before rotating the vanes for removal.

One portion of the counterweight has an extension 46 thereon which is adapted to engage a pin 56 inserted transversely between the rotor discs at each counterweight position. The pins 55 are positioned to engage the counterweight eX- tensions when the vanes are in full radially extended position. The pins act as stops to prevent rotation of the vanes to a reversely feathered position where it is desirable that the motive means, such for example as an automobile engine, acts as a drag or brake in going down long grades. Where no such restrictive action is desired the pins 56 may be omitted to permit free pivotal movement of the vanes within their limits of operation.

A modied form of counterweight is illustrated in Figs. 3 and 6. In this modified form a counterweight 5I is provided with a pair of ears 52 and 53 projecting laterally therefrom substantially at right'angles to the central dividing plane of ythe counterweight. A corresponding ear 54 may be provided on the side of the counterweight opposite tothe ears 52 and 53 to balance the centrifugal force of the ears 52 and 53 and their supported parts during high speed rotation of the rotor.

The ears 52 and 5 ,3 are secured to a thrust pin 55 which is mounted in a tubular socket 51. The thrust pin 55 is arranged to be actuated by a push-pull mechanism such as a control-wire 58 which passes through a central opening 59 in the drive shaft I0.

In the modilication illustrated in Fig. 7, apair of annular side plates 50 and 6I are mounted on the sides ofthe notched out portions of the housing vanes 24. -These side plates restrict vortexing of the liquid displaced bythe rotor vanes during operation of the device when the rotor vanes are in partly feathered position.

A filler plug 52 is mounted in aside of the housing I1 in a threaded ller opening provided in the housing to'receive it. The plug is secured in tightly sealing position in the ller opening as by mea-ns of a lockwire B3. A boss I4-is provi'dedgon'.etheesidero vvth-housing-toppositie 'theav filler .pl-ug" to serve-fas a lcounter-'weight-Sto @balances type-'usedin'hydraulic brakesf The-'drive shaft-isi arranged forv f rotationy Lmeans- :of:vv a f suitable the :centrifugal .force -ofA Vlthe.counter'weights orA f 5 I will exert a relatively small '.amount; :off

torque fon I fthef-rotor v vanes; while .the V.-unbalarlce.' ofthe f bladesurfacesof 'the f-.rotorifvanes .rwithz respectto their axesA of pivotal:` mounting, =1 will? exert a fconsiderablefforce tending to move them 1 into ra*:featheredIk position vrelatively :toi '.theirzdi rectiorr of vtravelthrough the liquid in the house". ing. During this slow-speed'rphase Jotoperationz'Y othe.'drive 1shaft lI0 the'fouter'endsoffthef counter-weightsalsowill loe-.restricted considerably intheir passage throughthe liquid inwhioh they#V movepwhich will ".'tendr to move "them likewise into aftrailing or feathered condition.: The com-:1

bination of the liquid :forces onv the counterweights and .the-bladesorvanes thusexerted will greatlyV exceed .the torque of. the .relatively smallamount of. 'centrifugalz force iexe'rted 4by uf the`V counter-A weights at suchflow speeds.:

As the speed of rotation ofv the drive shaft increases, a driving torque will'` be 'transmitted 'to the vanes in the Ahousingthereby causing the. housing and its' associated parts to rotatefwith' increasing speed. Asrthe speed of frotationyofi the housing increases-,the increasing Acentrifgual I force on the counterweights -tends to move them;-

radially outward," thereby moving the. drive vanes into alignment with; radii of ythefrotor through their axes.` This action b'rings'the'edges of the rotor vanes closely adjacent to the housing vanes and still further increases the driving effect of the rotor..vr

As the combined speed'othe-rotor-andhouse-v ing increases; 1.centrifugal'- force acting `on the liquid in the housingjtends to increase `its' vre-fsistance :to vortex -flowyunderthe actionof the f vanes and provides an eiective driving con, nection between the drive shaftl IlV andthe driven: shaft33."

The modication illustrated in Hl'igbfwouldbe unnecessary with mechanisms' requiring or-- dinary orv relatively low torques at low speedsf However, in such.mechanismsas'tractorsand, for..example, earth .movingL equipment. 4it"fre"v quently is. necessary to vsupply ja 'hfgl" driving? torque at .relativelylow speedsof vthe driven' shaft. In .such instances it'may 1be desirablef to' ,.beable. toxassist the centrifugal. 'force ,of "the.weighjtsy tending to move the, rotor vanes into radial posh tion, Yand in such'cases an. auxiliary-mechanisin illustrated in. Fig..6 maybe used to assist the counterweights and their, associated .vanesV in moving intosuchl radialwposition..

By employing the.. auxiliary torque operation illustrated in Fig..6 and omitting theV counterweight .portion so as to bring thecenter of gravity' of ,.feach .vane substantially. withirifitsi axis "of pivotal .,movement, ...the pivotal movement" ofthe i he e ator Vanesmay be'controued ent rely byt op r' 70. mg housing enclosingosaidtrotor.-and..its-.parts through.manipulationY of this auxiliary "mecha-1A nism.

illustratedfimli'gtv 1,ztheicounterweightithenzpans. beffremovedfirom i thei.fvane;;rwhich it.: is. desired.. to.;v replace; byI iremov-ing-Lthe two screws-1118.vv and .-.4 9. and` separatingifthe;ftwofshalves...of-.ithe @counter- 5 weight.;v The ..vane.;4v,.to..bememovledgthentmay be turned l 809i' 'from the .positiontillustrated .in Figlfl lto bring thea/ane .-intoalignmentV with the.V notches'lnll i vvof. vcorresponding.:shape and size-inf the-rotor discs-:21 *andv 28'. The *vane :.thenfmay.; be-movedv endwise-Iout throughthese .slotted openings in the rotor discs,i.and theY new Vanecanbe inserted by. reversing.v thev above procedurer andfscope oftthe invention;y It is. desired, .therefo'reynot` to limitthe invention except asset forth 20.; in the following claims...

I claimt discs mounted on said shaftfsaid rotor `discs-'hav'-` ing fa .plurality I:of f)pairs of circular oppositely registering-openings disposed uniformly about the. marginal areas/thereof; each. .of .said openings.

having an elongated notchJextendingztherefrom,z

30..; a plurality'. ofi rotor vanespivotally mounted one inf'eachfpair-of said circular-.iopenings, :each .vane being -i-oifset-"in.`fthe'l plane .ofi .the .vane from its. axisof pivotal mounting, .weightedsmeans sei cured V'toapivot co-axially; Withffea'chvane 'andi mounted between'.- said zrotor'xdiscs; 'said'.countenweight being fpivotaflly `movable, outwardly to 'lie-. along va vf-raolius ofsaid rotordiscaza liquid con-.1 taining housing ienclosingsaid :rotor and its parts'.l and@ rotatable relatively. thereto".A and. -co-axially 49g therewith, .and Ala, plurality 'ofahousingr ,vanes' each of:'whichisPmoun-ted: to Ilie peripherally beyond said roto'r `vanesgs"sai'dhousing Ivaries Afbeing. dis@v posed tolie'substantially in: radialf planes of',v the..

housing about its axisfofrotation, the inner edges'v ofi-the housingvanesi being ladapted to' t"` closely adjaoentfthe"peripheral edgesof the rotor vanesl inrfthe .fm'aximum= outward" position of said weighted-means 2;'A iilui'd drive mechanism comprising a `,rotorl adapted -to' be :connected tota powerrdriven shaft;

5U? said'rotorfhavingla pairfofffspaced, parallel, rotor discs v:mounted on saidshaft', said rotor discs .hav-e ing; fav@plurality` ofi? pairsfof circular `oppositely registeringfop'enirrgs disposed :uniformly 'about the marginal tareas" thereof each-'of said openings;-

553Ehavingfan elongatednotch extending therefrom a hub'orr each.frotorvane:adaptedtol .be pivotally mounteidfin :a pair' ofi'saidcircular. rotor openings;r

' and.rotatablesrelatively .thereto .and .covaxially therewithva pair. of spaced, parallel.. annular, ringssmounted. within said housing-to bebo-exeV tensiveagwith ;-said-rotor discs.. and A closely adja- .7a3 v. cenmthe. pripheries=..;..of;. said. rotorV dscs,....sa.id

While' II have .illustrated and described a; p1'e-:.v ferre'd formf of my invention` and Vsome modifica-.- 15, tions thereof, itwillbe apparent. to those familiar.. with. the lart that the. device is `.capable of further; f modicationwithout `departingfrom .the spirit face of one of said annular rings, said xedvanes being disposed to be in radial planes of the housing about its axis of rotation, the inner edges of the housing vanes being shaped to iit closely adjacent the rotor vanes in the maximum outward position of said counterweights.

3. A uid drive mechanism comprising a rotor adapted to be connected to a power driven shaft, said rotor having a pair of spaced, parallel rotor discs mounted on said shaft, said rotor discs having a plurality of pairs of circular, oppositely registering, openings disposed uniformly about the marginal areas thereof, each of said openings having an elongated notch extending therefrom toward the shaft axis, a plurality of rotor vanes, each vane comprising a central annular hub portion and a planiform vane erally from said hub portion, the hub portion of each rotor vane being adapted to be pivotally mounted in a pair of said circular rotor openings, each of said vane portions having a slidable endwise entering t in said notches, each vane portion being offset in the plane of -the vane outwardly from its axis of pivotal mounting, a counterweight secured to the hub of each vane to pivot coaxially therewith, and mounted between said rotor discs, said counterweights being pivotally movable outwardly to lie along a radius of said rotor discs, a liquid containing housing enclosing said rotor and its parts and rotatable relatively thereto and co-axially therewith, and a plurality of housing vanes each of which is fixedly mounted in the housing, said housing vanes being disposed to lie in radial planes of the housing about its axis of rotation, the inner edges of the housing vanes being shaped to fit closely adjacent the peripherally outer edges of the rotor vanes in the maximum outward position of said counterweights.

4. A uid drive mechanism comprising a rotor adapted to be connected to a power driven shaft, said rotor comprising a rotor disc secured to 'said shaft, said rotor disc having a plurality of circular openings disposed uniformly about the marginal area thereof, each of said openings having a notch extending therefrom, a plurality of rotor vanes each having a hub portion and a planiform vane portion laterally offset from the hub portion, the hub portion of each vane being pivotally mounted in one of said circular rotor openings, a portion of each of said vanes having a slidable endwise entering fit in said notches, in a nonoperating position of said vanes only, a counterweight secured to pivot co-axially with each vane, said counterweight being pivotally movable outwardly to an operativeposition of said vane to lie along a radius of said rotor discs, a liquid containing housing enclosing said rotor and its parts and rotatable relatively thereto and co-axially therewith, and a plurality of housing vanes each of which is fixedly mounted within the housing, the inner edges of the housing vanes being shaped to fit closely adjacent the peripherally outer edges of the rotor vanes in the maximum outward position of said counterweights.

5. A fluid drive mechanism comprising a rotor adapted to be connected to a power driven shaft,

said rotor comprising a rotor disc secured't'ofsaid shaft, said rotor disc having a plurality of circular openings disposed uniformly about the marginal portion offset latarea thereof, each of said openings having an elongated notch extending therefrom toward the shaft axis, a plurality of rotor vanes, each of said vanes comprising a hub portion adapted to be pivotally mounted in one of said' circular rotor openings, and a pair of planiformvanes mounted one on each end of said hub portion, said vanes having a slidable endwise entering fit in said notches, each vane being offset in the plane of the vane from the axis of pivotal mounting of said hub portion, a counterweight secured to said hub portion to pivot co-axially with saidvanes, said counterweight being pivotally movable outwardly to lie along a radius of said rotor discs, the outer portion of said counterweight in such outward position projecting beyond the periphery of said rotor disc, a liquid containing housing enclosing said rotor and its parts and rotatable relatively thereto and co-axially therewith, a pair of parallel annular rings'mounted within said housing to enclose the space traversed by said outer portions of said counterweights beyond the `rotor disc, and a plurality of housing vanes each of which is mounted between the housing and an outer face of one of said annular rings, said housing vanes being disposed to lie in radial planes of the' being connected by a hub mmeber extending through said discs, each Vane being offset in the plane of the vane from its axis of pivotal mounting, a counterweight secured to each of said hub members between said discs, a liquid containing housing enclosing said rotor and its parts and rotatable relatively thereto and co-axially therewith, and a plurality of housing vanes each of which is mounted to lie peripherally beyond said rotor vanes, said housing vanes being disposed to lie substantially in radial planes of the housing about its axis of rotation, the inner edges of the housing vanes being adapted tov t closely adjacent the peripheral edges of the rotor vanes in the maximum outward position of said' counterweights.

7. A rotor-impeller for a rotary fluid coupling adapted to be connected to a power-driven shaft and positioned within a rotatable housing runner, comprising circular blade mounting means, vanes pivotally mounted in pairs uniformly about the peripheral marginal area of the mounting means with the blades of each pair disposed one on each side of said mounting means, and a weight for each pair of blades, said weights being positioned between the blades of each pair and mounted for pivotal movement with the blades.

8. A rotor-impeller for a rotary uid coupling adapted to be connected to a power-driven shaft and positioned within a rotatable housing runner, comprising circular blade mounting means, said mounting means defining an uninterrupted space extending inward from the periphery, vanes pivotally mounted in pairs uniformly about the peripheral marginal area of the mounting means with the blades of each pair disposed one on each side of said mounting means, and a weight for each pair of blades, said weights being positioned between the blades .of each pair and in saidspace blades.

9. A rotor-impeller for a rotary fluid coupling adapted to be connected to a power-driven shaft and positioned within a rotatable housing runner, comprising a pair of spaced parallel rotor discs, a plurality of pairs of rotor vanes pivotally mounted uniformly about the marginal areas of said discs, the vanes of each pair being disposed respectively on the outer sides of said discs and a being connected by a hub member extending through said discs, each vane being offset in the plane of the vane from its axis of pivotal mounting, and a counterweight secured to each of said hub members between said discs.

VERNON O. HARTZ.

l 0 REFERENCES CITED The following references are oi' record in the ie of this patent:

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